Rosa Guy facts for kids

Rosa Cuthbert Guy (September 1, 1922 – June 3, 2012) was an American writer. She was born in Trinidad but grew up in New York City. Rosa became an orphan when she was young. She lived in foster homes. Later, she became famous for her books. Her stories for adults and young people often showed how important it is to have supportive friends and family.

Rosa Guy lived and worked in New York City. In 1950, she helped start the Harlem Writers Guild. This group was very important for helping African-American writers get their books published. Rosa Guy passed away from cancer on June 3, 2012.

Rosa Guy's Early Life

Rosa Cuthbert was born in 1922 in Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago. When she was five, her parents moved to the United States. Rosa and her younger sister Ameze stayed with relatives. They joined their parents in Harlem, New York, in 1932.

The next year, their mother got sick. Rosa and Ameze went to live with a cousin in Brooklyn. After their mother died in 1934, the girls returned to Harlem. They lived with their father, who had remarried.

In 1937, their father also passed away. Rosa and Ameze became orphans. They were placed in foster homes. Rosa left school at age 14. She started working in a clothing factory to support herself and her sister.

Becoming a Writer

In 1941, when Rosa was 19, she married Warner Guy. While her husband was away fighting in World War II, she kept working. A friend from work introduced her to the American Negro Theatre. Here, she learned acting. Famous actors like Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier also studied there. In 1942, her son, Warner Guy, Jr., was born.

After the war, Rosa Guy moved to Connecticut with her family. Five years later, she and her husband divorced. She then moved back to New York City.

Starting the Harlem Writers Guild

In 1950, Rosa Guy and novelist John Oliver Killens started a writing group. This group became the Harlem Writers Guild (HWG). Their goal was to help writers of African descent. They wanted to help them develop their stories and get them published. Many famous writers were part of this group. These included Maya Angelou, Paule Marshall, and Audre Lorde. The Guild helped many African-American writers become successful.

In 1954, Rosa Guy wrote her first play, Venetian Blinds. It was performed in New York City and was a success.

Rosa Guy's Books

Rosa Guy's first novel, Bird at My Window, was published in 1966. The famous writer Maya Angelou praised this book. She said it bravely looked at the loving but sometimes difficult relationship between a Black mother and her son.

After the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, Rosa Guy wanted to share the voices of young Black Americans. She wrote a book called Children of Longing in 1970. It shared real stories from young people. They talked about growing up in a challenging world.

Many of Rosa Guy's books are about strong friendships and family bonds. Her most famous books for young people are a series: The Friends (1973), Ruby (1976), and Edith Jackson (1978). These stories are based on her own life. They also show the experiences of young African Americans in New York City. These characters often faced life with little money or family support. Ruby tells the story of a girl looking for love and friendship. She finds it with Daphne Duprey, and they both learn new things about relationships.

Rosa Guy's 1985 novel, My Love, My Love: Or, The Peasant Girl, is a special story. It's like a Caribbean version of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid". It also has parts that remind you of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. In the story, a beautiful peasant girl named Desiree falls in love with a rich boy. She saved him after an accident. But his family does not approve of Desiree. They think she is too poor for their son. The book shows how strong love and sacrifice can be. This novel was made into a Broadway musical called Once on This Island. The musical won a Tony Award in 2018.

Rosa Guy passed away from cancer in 2012. She was 89 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Rosa Guy's books won several important awards:

• The New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year (for The Friends, in 1973).
• The Coretta Scott King Award.
• The American Library Association's Best Book for Young Adults Award.

Rosa Guy's Works

• Bird at My Window (1966)
• Children of Longing (essays, 1970)
• The Friends (1973)
• Ruby (1976)
• Edith Jackson (1978)
• The Disappearance (1979)
• Mirror of Her Own (1981)
• Mother Crocodile: An Uncle Amadou Tale from Senegal (1981)
• A Measure of Time (1983)
• New Guys Around the Block (1983)
• Paris, Pee Wee and Big Dog (1984)
• My Love, My Love, or the Peasant Girl (1985)
• And I Heard a Bird Sing (1987)
• The Ups and Downs of Carl Davis III (1989)
• Billy the Great Child (1991)
• The Music of Summer (1992)
• The Sun, the Sea, A Touch of the Wind (1995)

Images for kids

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  A special message written by Rosa Guy in one of her books.

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  A note found in the same book, possibly about a character in the story.